The Guardian
by Lyla Lee
Summary: Dimitri Belikov has spent years of his life training to become an elite Guardian. Then he is assigned the menial task of locating two missing runaways: Vasilisa, the last of a royal line, and Rose, a whip-smart Dhampir. As he becomes closer to Rose his sense of duty and honor is tested. (Vampire Academy from Dimitri's perspective.)
1. Chapter 1

_RUSSIA/ _MARCH

The music pounded through his headphones as he ran at a steady pace on the treadmill. His heart raced pumping blood through his entire body. Sweat ran down his back and into his eyes but he kept going. His breathing quickened and became difficult. Reaching for the control panel, he increased speed and incline. He wanted to run until his legs and lungs burned. _They come first_, the Guardian mantra repeated over and over his head. A reminder that all he did was for them. It brought out an anger in him.

He channeled that anger into fuel to push himself further and harder. To be better. To never give up, and it was what had made him successful from an early age. He had been consistently ranked at the top of his class until high school when he became the number one student. Of course, it couldn't be denied that his height also contributed to his success. He towered over everyone at the academy, instructors included.

Finally, as the timer reached 60 minutes he slowed to a brisk jog for a cool down before moving onto to his weight training for the day. He began with a series of body weight exercises: push-ups, sit ups, pull ups and then moved onto weights. Cardio and strength training were of equal importance when it came to fighting the evil undead creatures of the night known as Strigoi. He would avoid physical combat at all costs, and only as a last resort would he need to physically overpower the unnatural strength of the Strigoi.

He returned the weights and walked back to his room, sweat drenched his shirt. He showered, dressed, and finally was able to relax a little with a good book and plenty of water. Though it was his day off he was never truly off duty. He could be called at a moment's notice. There was no room in his life for alcohol; his judgment could not be clouded. Not that he minded, as the few times he had tried alcohol, it wasn't to his liking. His indulgence was exceptional coffee.

Just as he settled into his overstuffed armchair there was a knock as his door. Groaning, he answered. It was Fillip, the head of the Guardians in Moscow.

"Dimitri," Fillip said, "I have good news and bad news. May I come in?"

Dimitri stepped back to allow Fillip to enter into his meager apartment. "What is it?"

Fillip removed a large manila envelope from inside his overcoat and handed it to Dimitri. "It appears the Guardians have finally decided where you should be placed. So that's the good news."

Peering into the packet, Dimitri could just make out enough to see it was official paperwork. "And what is the bad news?"

Dimitri knew it was unusual for the head Guardian to personally deliver individual assignments. A knot formed in his stomach. Dimitri was suddenly concerned about what could be in the envelope.

"Dimitri, I feel I must say something first – I have been greatly impressed by the work you have done here for us. There are not many Guardians who hold themselves to the standard you do. With that being said I hope you will understand that I personally chose you for this assignment because I believe you to be the best Guardian for it."

"Thank you, sir. I do appreciate it, but if you could only tell me –"

"You leave tomorrow."

Dimitri felt relieved, "That's it? That's hardly bad news."

"That's not all. You are being sent to the States."

America? That wasn't so bad. Of course he had hoped to stay in Russia to be closer to his family. He spoke perfect English, and had heard of many great royal families who lived all over the country. This would be a chance to experience American culture first hand.

"I'm sure you've heard of the Dragomir family." Fillip continued.

"Yes, didn't the family die some time ago?" Dimitri didn't understand why an extinct family was being brought up.

Fillip continued, "Not quite. They have one remaining member, a young girl named Vasilisa. It seems Vasilisa and her best friend have run away from their school. Despite their best efforts, no one has been able to locate the girls for nearly a year and a half. I don't have to tell you how important it is that we safely recover the last remaining member of a royal family?"

"No of course not, but I'm not sure how I—"

"Good. Your flight is tomorrow at 0600." Fillip walked to the door.

"Sir, may I ask where I'm going?"

"It's all in the packet, Belikov." Fillip left, shutting the door behind him.

Dimitri sighed, and pulled the packet from the envelope. He scanned through the pages before finding the information he was looking for.

SCHOOL: ST. VALDIMIR'S ACADEMY

LOCATION: MONTANA

Montana? He stifled a groan as an anger welled up in his stomach. He didn't know which was worse: being sent to the middle of nowhere to chase teenage girls, or the fact that he wouldn't actually be guarding anyone. Despite Fillip's praise, Dimitri took no comfort in his words.

Dimitri longed to operate as a Guardian and protect the people he swore to. Upon graduation Dimitri had been assigned to Ivan Zeklos, but after the incident he deferred reassignment instead taking an internship of sorts at the Guardian Headquarters in Moscow.

He had learned the basics of fighting and protection at school, but he wanted to learn the art of surveillance and tracking before officially being given a Guardian position. This included defensive and offensive driving, shooting, first aid, and deceptive techniques. (Or lying as most people would call it.)

So this assignment to go on a wild goose chase was, frustratingly, an underutilization of his skills. After several minutes, Dimitri realized he was wrong. Had he not spent the past few years learning reconnaissance? Tracking the missing girls was exactly what he had been training for, and then the full weight of Fillip's statement hit him. _One remaining member…_ if there was anyone in this world who needed protection it was Vasilisa Dragomir. His resolve hardened at that moment, vowing to return the girl to safety.

Dimitri began to pack what few belongings he would need or want with him in Montana. He had a small wardrobe that consisted of comfortable practical clothing that kept him warm in winter and cool in summer. He stuck to blacks and greys so that he never had to worry much about matching his shirt to his pants. His footwear was even more limited: one pair of black leather boots suitable for various types of terrain and weather, and one pair of sneakers for the gym. The entirety of his belongings fit in one suitcase and one backpack that would serve as his carry on.

Dimitri placed his bags by the door, glanced around the room, and sighed. This would be the last night he spent in this apartment. It was the first home that was truly his own. Dimitri was extremely proud of all that he had accomplished, and despite his eagerness to begin his assignment he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of sadness at the thought of leaving this place. His stomach growled loudly, and Dimitri realized he had not eaten since breakfast. It was almost 8 o'clock at night. Grabbing his trench coat, he headed out to find his last meal in Russia.

As he locked up, a woman's voice called his name. Dimitri looked up and smiled, "Rona!"

"I just heard you got assigned!" she said.

"Yes, Fillip told me himself."

"So you really are a hot shot!" Rona teased, "Where are you going?"

"Montana, apparently some girls have run away from their school. They need help locating them, but I leave tomorrow morning." Dimitri replied.

"Really? But that's hardly any notice! We don't even have time to throw you a goodbye party! Hold on." Rona pulled out her iPhone and began texting. After several minutes she looked up, and smiled. "Come on, Dimitri!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him off towards the elevators.

"What have you done, Rona? I was just going to get something to eat." Dimitri inquired, assumed.

"It's a surprise! Don't worry – you'll be able to eat."

* * *

Dimitri's sides hurt from laughing so much; Pawel had been regaling them with tales of his misadventures during his time at academy. His exploits had landed him hot water many times and his disciplinary record notwithstanding, Pawel had still managed to get a training position at the Guardian Headquarters.

Thanks to Rona's quick thinking (or texting, as the case may be) Dimitri was able to have a goodbye party after all. Any Guardian not on duty was now at their usual after hours haunt, a quiet tavern called, when translated from Russian something like, Vodka & Caviar.

It was a typical bar, serving everything from top shelf liquor to swill not fit to be called piss. It had a small kitchen and as such only served about a dozen food items. Dimitri's favorite were the wings with caramelized onions, and between everyone in the group they had ordered everything on menu. The Guardians who had just gotten off duty were imbibing vodka tonics. While those who had to report to duty in several hours drank their preferred non-alcoholic beverages. Dimitri had a club soda with lime.

Dimitri focused on the happiness he felt at that moment, not wanting to forget it or take it for granted. He was truly happy. In his time here he had learned a great deal and had made many great friends. Guardians he would never forget. Dimitri wouldn't hesitate to lay down his life for them and he knew they would do the same for him.

"Having fun?" Rona broke through his thoughts.

Dimitri looked over to her, "Yes. Thank you so much for doing this. I didn't realize how much I would miss everyone."

"You're welcome, but I don't think everyone realizes how much they'll miss you. I'm going to miss you." Rona said, looking at Dimitri with a sadness in her eyes.

"I'll miss you too, Rona. Maybe someday we can work together." Dimitri added, to soften the blow. It was unlikely they would ever work together or even see each other again.

Finding the girls would not be Dimitri's permanent assignment. Once the girls were found and returned safely to St. Vladimir's, he would move onto another position. Rona would most likely get a permanent assignment with one of the royal families. And then there was the thing that no one would mention in polite conversation: women Guardians were uncommon. Rona may decide to have children at some point and if she did, they would never see each other again.

There was a clink, followed by another and another until everyone was banging their silverware against their glasses and shouting speech. They all looked at Dimitri. A heat spread across his face, so much for a quiet last night. He stood and waited for everyone to settle down before speaking.

"I uhh… I'm not sure what to say, but I do know that all of you are amazing Guardians. I have learned so much from all of you, and consider you all to be great friends. I will miss you. _Spasibo_ – thank you_._"

They spent a while longer talking and laughing. Their leftovers had gone cold, and the ice in their drinks had melted when Dimitri checked the time: 0130. Surprise shot through him, he hadn't realized it was so late. He would have to be at the airport in just a few hours. Dimitri fastened the buttons on his coat and helped Rona into hers'. He gave everyone a final goodbye before they walked back to Headquarters.

The air was crisp and cold this time of year. The wind blew fiercely, nipping at their necks, and sending a chill down their spines. Dimitri flipped his collar up to keep the icy winds away. The sky was completely clear, and if you looked closely you could see the faint twinkle of stars.

"Are you nervous?" asked Rona.

Dimitri was surprised by the question. There wasn't much to be nervous about. Everyone at Headquarters had the same amount of training. He had flown many times, and most importantly he was eager to begin his duty as a Guardian. "No. It should be a fairly straight forward operation. I doubt I'll be there very long. Once the girls are located and returned, I'll be given another assignment."

"Well that's good – I mean that you're not nervous. Not that you won't have a job for long – oh that sounded worse than I meant," Rona took a deep breath, "What I meant is: I hope you have great success, Dimitri."

They were outside his apartment door now. Dimitri couldn't help but laugh a little at her awkwardness. "Thank you."

"Of course – you'll keep in touch, won't you?" she asked.

"Sure," Dimitri said and then a thought occurred to him. "How did you know I'd been assigned? I had no chance to tell anyone."

A pink flush crossed Rona's alabaster skin. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course." He assured.

"You know Fillip's secretary, Anya? Well we've become friends, because you know there aren't many girls around here to hang out with – but that's not what you asked… anyway she's been wanting this amazing pair of Louboutins, and I told her I'd help her out if she told me when any assignments came across her desk. I really only asked for myself because I thought I would've been assigned by now, but she texted me today when she saw your name – because everyone knows…"

"Knows what?"

Rona blushed brighter and averted her eyes, "That you're amazing. Everyone wanted to know who you would be assigned to. I hope you're not too mad?"

"No, in fact it was pretty smart. I might have done the same thing." Dimitri offered, hoping she didn't feel too guilty. The truth was that when information was needed a Guardian would employ any tactic to get it, and bribes were one of the easiest ways to do that. Rona had only done what she had been trained to do. There was no shame in that, nor could Dimitri be angry about it. After all, she had been hoping to find out about her own assignment, not his. No harm, no foul.

A silence fell between them. Dimitri studied Rona for a moment. Her looks were certainly unusual for a Dhampir. Her milky-white complexion was smooth and clear though there was an old faded scar just above her left eyebrow. _A rookie mistake_, she had explained once. Her eyes were an icy grey blue, and her hair was bright blonde that she styled into a sleek bob. It was short enough to expose her Promise mark. She had yet to kill a Strigoi.

Rona had confided in him once that she knew nothing of her mother. Unlike most Dhampirs that had little to no contact with their Moroi fathers, Rona was quite close with her father. Dimitri could fill in the blanks: Rona's mother had been human, and she had abandoned Rona at birth with her father. Rona's father had never questioned the child's paternity. When she was old enough, Rona had been sent to St. Peter's Academy. She excelled in her training, and upon graduation was able to secure a position at the Headquarters.

"Dimitri?" Rona asked.

"Yes, sorry I was just thinking."

"What about?"

"You – I hope you have all the success in the world too, Rona. Truly, you deserve it." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

She seemed surprised by what he had said. She leaned forward and standing on her toes placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Dimitri."

"Goodnight, Rona."

"Goodnight and don't forget to write!" She called over her shoulder as she headed to the elevators.


	2. Chapter 2

_ST. BASIL'S ACADEMY/ _6 YEARS AGO

"Congratulations, Dimitri! Or should I say Guardian Belikov now?" Lord Zeklos asked, clapping him on the back. Not an easy feat, given Dimitri's towering height but nonetheless he appreciated the gesture.

Dimitri smiled, "Thank you sir, but Dimitri is fine."

Despite knowing Lord Zeklos for years, Dimitri never felt comfortable addressing him as anything other than sir. Professionalism was taught early and expected of all Guardians.

"Ivan!" called Lady Zeklos, "Come, I must get a picture of you and Dimitri together."

Ivan said goodbye to the group he had been chatting with and jogged over to where Dimitri stood with his parents. He playfully checked Dimitri in the shoulder, but almost immediately he regretted it. Dimitri was a solid force who loomed over everyone, and though Ivan was tall he was no match for Dimitri's mass. He stumbled and massaged his shoulder, stunned from the jolt of pain.

"Ivan! I wish you wouldn't do such things! Dimitri, I apologize on behalf of my ridiculous son." said Lady Zeklos, "Now get together…smile."

Ivan slung his arm around Dimitri. "You heard the woman, Belikov – smile!" The camera flashed, and they stood there together for several moments as Lady Zeklos maneuvered the camera and settings to get the perfect picture. Finally, she took one that she deemed acceptable.

"Perfect! Dimitri, I'll make sure you get a copy. I'm sure your mother would love to have it."

"Yes. Thank you, Lady Zeklos."

Dimitri's family had been unable to attend the graduation ceremony. It was quite a long journey by train and much too difficult for his _babushka_. He missed them greatly and was more disappointed by their absence than he had expected to be. Though a picture of him was a poor substitute for actually being there, he knew his mother would be happy to have it.

"Come on, Belikov! Let's get out of these nighties!" Ivan shouted, referring to their graduation robes. Dimitri laughed, Ivan was always the one cracking jokes. The silk robes were a deep burgundy for the girls and black for the boys. Although ceremonial, after several hours in the long thick robes Dimitri was ready to get out of them. It was a warm summer night, and the oppressive robes only furthered everyone's discomfort. The ceremony had lasted several hours. It was surprising that the class jokesters hadn't decided to streak. The boys started to make their way back to the dorms.

"Remember we're meeting for dinner at midnight!" Lady Zeklos yelled to her son's retreating figure.

"Yes, mother, I remember!" Ivan yelled back. "You've only told me a hundred and one times since getting here." He whispered to Dimitri, who chuckled.

"So you have just over an hour until dinner. What will you do until then?" Dimitri asked.

"Well, her name is Dessa." Ivan laughed, "Actually, I just want to give her the present I got her. She might come to dinner with me. If she wants to."

"I think you overestimate her affection for you, Ivan. Who's to say she's not merely using you for sex."

Ivan feigned shock and surprise, gasping loudly. "I can't believe you said that, Dimitri! What we have is real!"

"Alright Casanova, cut it out. Have a good time, I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya!" Ivan sprinted off to find Dessa.

Dimitri took the stairs up to his room where he returned the robe to a hanger in his closet. He remained dressed in his black trousers and dress shirt with a pale blue tie. There would a semi-formal dinner in an hour for all the Dhampir graduates and their families. He had considered not attending, but his growling stomach told him otherwise. He wasn't one to turn down a good meal, and St. Basil's always went above and beyond when it came to parties. The food was bound to be delicious.

To bide his time, Dimitri pulled out his most recent novel. _Lonesome Dove_ was the story of 2 ex-Texas Rangers who go on a cattle drive. That was about as far as Dimitri had gotten in the novel as he had only bought it a week ago. Westerns had his been his favorite since he learned to read. He was fascinated by the Old West, cowboys, and gun fights. The biggest draw, though, were the characters' ethics. Most cowboys in the stories he read had an ethical code which they lived by.

The codes were always variations of the same things: do the right thing, treat others as you want to be treated, help when you can, honesty, etc. Dimitri admired the men in those stories. They provided guidance when he lacked that in his own life. They were the role models he yearned for because his father was anything but a good man. As strange as it sounded, those cowboys gave him the courage to stand up for himself and his family.

Finally, the time came to head to the dinner. Dimitri folded the top right hand corner of the page he was on and set the book on his desk. It was brief 10 minute walk from his room, through the quad, to the dining hall. The school had elaborately decorated the hall, transforming the normally drab interiors into a bright and cozy space. The dark wood paneling was draped over with gleaming silver fabric. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of white lights hanging from the ceiling. Black, burgundy, and silver balloons floated about the room.

The tables had been covered in white linen tablecloths with white rose centerpieces. Along each side of the room were long buffets filled with every kind of food a Dhampir could possibly want. At the right side buffet, Dimitri noticed Galina serving herself a generous helping of French fries. There didn't appear to be anything else on her plate.

"Save some for the rest of us, Galina." Dimitri teased.

Galina looked up and smiled, "That's Guardian Azarova to you!" she chided and then broke into a wide smile. "Well, actually I guess you canofficially call me Galina now that you've graduated." Galina was only in her thirties, and felt too young to be called by her formal title. She said it was "too stuffy". So it was an open secret that students could use her first name when other school officials or higher-ups weren't around. It was one of the reasons she got along so well with the novices.

She moved down the line and added three thick ribs covered in BBQ sauce to her plate. Dimitri followed and added a few of his own. When he could fit nothing else on his plate, Dimitri followed Galina to a nearby table. A waiter came by and offered drinks, they both accepted a glass of champagne.

Galina raised her glass to toast, "_Ura!_"

"Cheers!" Dimitri returned the sentiment, taking a small sip he was reminded of why he didn't drink. Though, he was certain it was a very good champagne, it only tasted bitter to him. He set the glass aside and tore into his ribs.

"Have you been assigned?" Galina asked between bites.

"Yes, I'll be guarding Ivan. I have a feeling his father pulled some strings, but I'm glad I'll get to protect him." Dimitri said between mouthfuls.

"If I knew someone could pull strings to get me a great assignment then I'd let them!" she exclaimed.

Dimitri's brow furrowed, "You mean you didn't want to be an instructor?"

Taking a sip of her champagne, Galina shook her. "No that's not what I meant at all. I was assigned to a royal detail after I graduated, but I quickly realized I missed the school environment and in particular working with novices. I was able to work with the underclassmen when I was at academy and I really loved it."

"So you're a natural then?"

"Some might say so. It's the most amazing thing when a student understands something or nails a maneuver they've been struggling with."

Dimitri loved watching Galina speak so passionately about her work. It was like she glowed, and in that moment Dimitri could see Galina in a whole new light. She was beautiful, he realized. Her dark eyes glimmered in the soft light and her hair was a deep mahogany. Galina had bucked against tradition, refusing to cut her hair. Instead she wore her hair in a tight bun at the crown of her head. So Dimitri could recognize her beauty but felt no attraction towards her. Perhaps if he were older…

"I think so. You've certainly been a great instructor to me, as well as a great inspiration. So I suppose I should thank you, Galina."

Galina smiled and reaching out placed a hand on Dimitri's hand. "You're welcome, Dimitri. I know you'll do great things, and I am so very proud of you."

Dimitri smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. They didn't need to say anything else, an understanding passing between them. Galina had been an amazing mentor to Dimitri, at times almost like a mother. Dimitri knew he could go to her with anything, and he knew that if he ever needed anything he could reach out to her.

* * *

_SOMEWHERE OVER EUROPE/ _PRESENT DAY

Dimitri was shaken from his sleep by harsh turbulence. The plane dipped and rocked causing a knot to form in his stomach. Though he was not a nervous flyer by any means, excessive turbulence could cause him to get motion sick at times. He grumbled and slid the window shade up. The light momentarily blinded him but as he adjusted he was able to make out the landscape below. Wisps of white clouds floated over the grass and rocks.

Though it was nearly noon, Dimitri's travels were far from over. There was no direct flight to _Back Woods_, Montana. He first had to fly from Moscow to London. From London he would fly to Atlanta. Atlanta to Seattle to good ole Montana. From there it was a 4 hour drive St. Vladimir's Academy. He wouldn't officially arrive at the school until tomorrow. That was assuming, of course, there were no difficulties. Without complications, Dimitri expected to be at St. Vladimir's by 0100 – nearly the end of the school day for students.

The turbulence continued which made it impossible for Dimitri to return to sleep. He pulled out his assignment file to begin learning as much as he could, hoping a flight attendant would be by soon so he could ask for ginger ale. He wondered what would make two young girls flee the safety of their school. Did the princess run and the Dhampir follow? Or was it the other way around? He removed the stack of papers from the manila envelope and began to read.

_Accident Report _

_On May 23__rd__ at approximately 1530 this officer responded to a report of a single vehicle accident on the northbound side of Highway One. Upon arrival this officer observed a black Range Rover upside down with two females in the road on the driver side of the vehicle. One female was unconscious with the other holding her. Approaching the vehicle, it became apparent that the front passenger and driver were deceased. The back seat passenger appeared to be a male in his late teens to early twenties. This officer immediately called for medical evacuation, and waited for back up to arrive before attempting to remove anyone from the scene. _

_Signed, Officer Johnathon D. Cooke _

So that was how the princess had become the last remaining member of the Dragomir clan. Due to patient privacy laws there were no medical reports, but if the accident had killed three Moroi Dimitri knew the girls had likely been injured severely. Though their physical injuries had healed, he knew the psychological ramifications lingered. No one be the same if their entire family was wiped out in an instant. Perhaps, that was why the girls had run away.

He knew the girls were extremely close and being the only survivors of a horrific accident had no doubt brought them closer. They had been through something no one else had. They were the only two who really understood what the other might be feeling or thinking. Another factor that had to be considered was their races. The Dhampir would always feel an almost unnatural desire to protect the Moroi princess. Dimitri knew that first hand. It was the duty of every Guardian to protect the Moroi. No matter what the circumstances were surrounding the girls' disappearance he knew the Dhampir was protecting the princess… as best as an untrained novice could.

Several hours later they touched down in London without any more turbulence, and Dimitri was able to get back to sleep. A nocturnal schedule would be difficult for humans to accommodate, but as a race all vampires were used to it. Most preferred the night time hours because it kept their schedule the same as the Moroi they protected, but the daylight hours had to be covered as well. And there were some Guardians who favored the day time for a myriad of reasons, such as better pay and less people. Dimitri had always preferred the normal shift. It provided him with the most mental and physical stimulation. Daylight duty would have been a lot of sitting around and waiting. In other words, the few times Dimitri had agreed to work a daylight shift he had found it to be extremely boring.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Dimitri landed in Montana. Thankfully, there had been no difficulties that delayed his arrival. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he ended up stuck on the tarmac for several hours. Dimitri considered himself to be a peaceful man, but travel delays and hunger could make any man do crazy and desperate things. Dimitri stifled a yawn and stretched his arms above his head. Being 6-foot-7 made travel exceedingly uncomfortable. Luckily, his travels were almost over. As he descended into the airport lobby he saw a sign that read "Belikov" held by a Guardian.

The Guardian was a tall woman in her late 40's. Her ashen blonde hair had wisps of grey throughout and was styled into a spiky pixie. She wore no make-up, and she was dressed head to toe in black. _A practical woman_, Dimitri thought. Her face conveyed no emotion. She was probably just as happy about having to drive four hours as Dimitri was.

"Belikov?" she asked.

"Yes. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand. She returned the handshake with a nearly crushing grip. If he had been human, she would have done damage but as he was Dhampir it was only a mild irritating squeeze.

"Alberta Petrov. Let's get going."

* * *

Author's Note: I have become aware that I am not the only one attempting to rewrite Vampire Academy from Dimitri's perspective. However, each one will be different so I hope you enjoy my take. Thank you for reading and reviewing! ~LL


	3. Chapter 3

_ST. VALDIMIR'S ACADEMY/ _APRIL

Dimitri stared at the stack of papers in frustration. Despite near constant work on attempting to find the girls they had made little headway. They had followed up on every lead that came in and there was… nothing. The girls were smart, managing to stay two steps ahead of them. He had no idea how they were doing it. The only theory that made sense was that they were getting help on the outside. Someone, apparently, had a very good reason to help the girls hide.

Though, no one had any idea who it was or why they would be helping two teenage runaways hide. Especially, when there was such a dire threat to their safety. No informant in any of the cities had heard anything of a Moroi and Dhampir runaway or of anyone hiding them. It was if they had simply disappeared. At this point, after so many months, Dimitri was almost convinced they had. Whatever their reason for disappearing, the girls didn't want to be found.

Sighing, Dimitri pushed back from the table and stood up. "I'm getting some coffee, would anyone like anything?"

The other Guardians all rejected his offer. Dimitri made his way to the staff lounge. He managed not to get lost which he considered a small accomplishment. He had only been at the academy for a few weeks and the campus was massive, which made navigating the buildings somewhat difficult. Still Dimitri had managed, and he was finally getting the hang of things. Living at the academy was certainly different than living at Headquarters. At Headquarters he had his own apartment. At St. Vladimir's he roomed in the staff quarters, and while he had a private room he shared a bathroom and kitchen area with the rest of the Guardians. It had taken him some time to adjust to the new way of doing things.

Dimitri found a clean mug and poured the coffee in. He drank his coffee black with no sugar. The coffee was acidic and bitter, it had been sitting on the burner for too long. He poured the coffee down the drain and made a fresh pot. The coffee the academy supplied was decent enough. The aroma was warming and nutty. He had a feeling it was going to be another long night tracking the girls. They wouldn't be able to hide forever.

Upon his arrival to St. Vladimir's, Dimitri had been assigned to head the task force now attempting to locate the girls. The news of his assignment made the rounds amongst the Guardians. To be only 24 and assigned to a leadership role in such an important task was a big deal, one that Dimitri took great pride and honor in. Through all his work and study of the girls he began to feel as if he knew them personally. With every passing day he grew more concerned for their safety. Returning Princess Vasilisa and Rosemarie to St. Vladimir's was the only thing Dimitri thought about.

After 4 more hours of work the Guardians called it a night. Or day, as it happened. The sun was coming up over the eastern horizon. In the weeks they had spent working on the case, every Guardian had sifted through every tip and possible sighting they had. Most were 8 months old – some even more than that. There had not been one credible tip or lead on the girls in almost eight months! Dimitri and the rest of the team were beyond frustrated. Dimitri knew one of the reasons he was brought in, was to get a set of fresh eyes on the information. Sometimes a new person could shed light on the information and open it up but that had not yet happened.

Dimitri was a smart man. He sensed the team's frustration with him. Some of it was jealousy. Some of it was annoyance with being assigned a task they wanted no part of. He couldn't blame them. Each day they went without information on the girls, the more difficult it would become to find them. Even with the odds stacked against the Guardians, Dimitri wasn't ready to give up.

As he made his way to his room, a thought occurred to Dimitri. At this point, he knew he was emotionally involved in the assignment. Despite all his training and best efforts to remain neutral, he _had_ become attached to the girls in some bizarre way. He felt so protective of the princess and scared for her at the same time. In some ways she reminded him of his sisters. When he reached his room, tiredness overcame him. He would have to wait until the evening to discuss it with Alberta. He sank into his bed, too tired to change. Falling asleep, Dimitri slipped into a recurring dream that had haunted him for years.

_MOSCOW/ _6 YEARS AGO

Dimitri followed just two steps behind Ivan as they walked down the quiet street. It was past midnight, still quite early in the Moroi day. Ivan wanted to celebrate, he had said. What they were celebrating was anyone's guess. Ivan loved going out to bars and having a good time. They had only been out of the academy for a few months, but Ivan had taken to "adult" life quickly. He enjoyed his freedom as he put it. Enjoying his freedom meant staying out until dawn, plenty of feeders, and girls – even better if the girls let him feed. Most of them didn't care what they would called behind their backs, and Ivan did take great care to ensure that as few people possible knew about him feeding from the girls he took to bed. Despite partaking in such a taboo activity, Ivan cared what people might say of the girls.

A second Guardian, Peter, followed behind Dimitri. He was responsible for scanning further distances than Dimitri. Dimitri's main responsibility was moving Ivan away from a threat. Peter had been out of the academy for 3 years at that point. As he was more experienced, he assigned the duties for the evening. Though, Dimitri knew Ivan had requested Dimitri to be his near guard. Most of the time Peter granted Ivan's request, but Ivan's safety was not to be jeopardized. If Peter ever deemed a situation unsafe, Ivan listened and moved on. Likewise, if Peter ever felt he should be the near guard Ivan didn't put up much of a fight about it. Ivan mostly liked having Dimitri near so they could talk.

There was a misty fog hanging in the air that created halos around the street lamps. It wasn't too late for humans to be out so Dimitri was surprised that there was no one else around. It was almost too quiet. A pit formed in Dimitri's stomach – something was wrong. Doubt quickly crept into his mind and pushed his uneasiness away. He had only been an official Guardian for just a few months. Dimitri was finding out rather quickly that school had taught him _what_ to do as a Guardian but not exactly how to _be_ a Guardian.

They continued on but the nervousness gnawed at Dimitri. Ivan's words became background noise as Dimitri began to focus on everything about their surroundings. He listened, picking on the echo of Ivan's voice off the alley walls. A litter of stray cats mewling for their mother. Cars off in the distance. A scraping on a nearby roof. Dimitri stopped, placing his right hand on the stake at his hip. Ivan stopped immediately as did Peter.

"What is it?" Ivan asked.

Just then a dark figure descended from the rooftop. Dimitri pivoted to the left to position himself between Ivan and the figure. He withdrew his stake from the sheath. The figure approached too rapidly to be human. Peter ran forward with his own stake drawn but was cut off by another figure who moved inhumanly fast. Strigoi. They were being attacked. Thoughts raced through Dimitri's mind. No test at the academy ever came close to this.

"Ivan, get back!" he shouted. He needed to put distance between Ivan and the Strigoi. Ivan ducked behind a car. Dimitri moved forward to block the first Strigoi while Peter handled the other one. The Strigoi laughed.

"I'll have fun killing you but even more fun killing that Moroi!" he hissed.

Dimitri ran scenarios through his head. He had one advantage: his height. Even more so because this particular Strigoi was quite short. Dimitri guessed he had been born human. Then the Strigoi attacked, landing a solid punch to Dimitri's abdomen. He felt immense pain but nothing that phased him. He brought his left elbow down and connected with the Strigoi's shoulder. He collapsed and Dimitri pinned him underneath his knees. As he crushed the Strigoi's legs with his weight, Dimitri slammed the stake into the center of his chest.

The Strigoi cried out as his unnatural life left him. Dimitri looked up and searched for Ivan. He was still behind the car. They made eye contact and Ivan shouted, "Peter!"

Dimitri spun around. Peter was pinned against the brick wall of the building, struggling against the second Strigoi. Peter had one arm in front of his neck as he attempted to keep the Strigoi from snapping his neck. His other was being crushed by the Strigoi's grasp. Peter's stake had fallen to the ground. Dimitri sprinted to Peter and closed the distance between them in just three strides. He rammed his stake through the spinal column, vertebrae and ribs snapping, and into the heart of the Strigoi. He relaxed, released his grip on Peter, and crumpled to the ground dead.

Dimitri awoke with a start. His heart pounded against his ribs and a cold sweat ran down his back. No matter how many times he had that nightmare, he was always jolted awake. Over the years the dreams had lessened, but during times of stress the nightmares would reappear often. Sometimes multiple times a night. Reliving his first two Strigoi kills seemed to be the most common one. The academy taught how to kill but nothing on how to deal with taking a life… no matter how evil that life was. He could still see the Strigoi's glowing red eyes and the evil they contained. It sent a chill down his spine even 6 years later.

Dimitri glanced at the clock, it was only noon. He knew after the unsettling nightmare he wouldn't get back to sleep. He rose from the comfortable queen sized mattress and stretched. Though there was a coffee maker in the staff kitchen, Dimitri preferred to brew his own in his room. He liked his alone time, with his morning routine being his favorite time spent alone. He brewed espresso and sat at his small table by the window.

The window overlooked the grassy lot behind the school, an iron fence secured the border. Beyond the fence was a thick woodland that added to the security of the school. Most academies were in the middle of nowhere for the safety seclusion added. When the weather was nice novices would picnic on the pasture. They would be joined by Moroi students once they had fed and they would all play Frisbee or some bizarre magical version of tag.

Pulling out his latest Western, Dimitri took a sip of his espresso and sank into his novel. Once he finished his espresso, Dimitri spent a while longer reading before he decided it was time to officially start the day. That always meant a work out and after his night, he couldn't wait to work out some of his aggression. The best part of a work out was the burn. The worse the burn, the angrier he became but once he was done all that anger dissipated. After a shower Dimitri felt positively serene. Now he was ready to take on the day.

After finishing his lunch of salmon and a field greens salad, Dimitri found Alberta in her office. He knocked and waited for an invitation before entering. She looked up from the paperwork on her desk, a half-eaten meatball sub off to the side. Dimitri frowned at having interrupted her lunch.

"I can come back later."

"No, actually I wanted to see you. Please sit."

Dimitri took a seat in one of the cushioned chairs in front of Alberta's desk. "What did you need to see me about?"

"I wanted to see how you were adjusting to life at St. Vladimir's."

"Just fine. I don't get lost on my way back to my room anymore. All the Guardians are welcoming."

"Good and how's the investigation going?"

Dimitri shifted in his chair. The investigation was not progressing as he had hoped. However, he had only been working for a few weeks. It would take time with such limited and out dated information. "It could be better. There's very little useful information. We _will_ find them, it is just a matter of when."

"I understand there are challenges, but I'm confident you and your team will do whatever is necessary to locate the girls."

"Yes but I had a request: I was wondering once we find and return the girls – I know Vasilisa will need a Guardian, I was wondering if I could be assigned to her?" he asked, finding it harder to say than he would have thought. He didn't want Alberta to think he was becoming overly attached to the case or too emotionally involved. He would deny it, of course, if she asked. The truth was that he was emotionally involved in the case but that was how he operated. His drive to protect came from an understanding that he was, at times, literally the only thing between the life and death of his charge. That knowledge and the weight of it had to come from an emotional place within himself. Otherwise, there would be no point to what he did.

Alberta leaned back from the desk as if she were surprised by what Dimitri had asked. She stayed silent for several moments, pondering his request. If she was surprised she hid it well. Dimitri couldn't read her expression.

"You could have any assignment you want, Belikov – why would you chose her?"

Dimitri thought back to when he first learned what his assignment would be. He laughed now at his initial annoyance. He was shocked that Fillip had recommended him for this assignment. Practically every high ranking royal was chomping at the bit to have a Guardian like Dimitri. Dimitri knew there were multiple requests from royals around the world to have him when he became available. Once Dimitri had put his ego aside, he realized one very simple fact: he was one of the best Guardians and Vasilisa needed the best.

"She needs protection. She is the last of her line. She needs the best protection available."

"And you believe you are the best choice available?"

"I wouldn't say I am _the_ best but certainly one of them." Dimitri stated matter-of-factly.

Alberta smiled, "Alright then, when she gets back you can be her Guardian."

He nodded, "Thank you."

"I'll start the paperwork, but I have to warn you: Rose won't be happy about it."

Dimitri was confused, "Rose?"

A look of surprise and something else crossed Alberta's face – annoyance maybe? "One of the girls you're looking for." _You big dummy_, Dimitri knew she wanted to add that. "She has always preferred to be called Rose, said Rosemarie was too old lady." She laughed.

Dimitri did feel just a bit foolish. He should have been able to figure out that Rose was a nickname for Rosemarie. He had just gotten so used to thinking about them as Rosemarie and Vasilisa it sounded strange when anyone referred to them as anything else. Dimitri entertained the idea, if only for a second, that perhaps that meant he was spending too much time thinking about them. Whether that was true or not didn't matter. He was assigned to find them, and if that meant he had to spend every waking minute thinking about them then so be it. After all they did come first.

"Well, thank you for your time." Dimitri said, "I should get back to the investigation."

"You're welcome, Belikov. Let me know if I can help."

Although the offer was genuine, Dimitri knew Alberta would have little time to actually help. As the Head Guardian at St. Vladimir's she was responsible for the novices' curriculum, training the newest instructors, teaching her own classes, scheduling the Guardian's shifts, and what classes they taught, in addition to disciplining novices and Guardians alike. Luckily, she rarely had to reprimand a Guardian. She mostly dealt with truant novices who didn't feel like training and instead snuck off to make out. Dimitri didn't envy her or her job.

After several meaningless hours spent looking at their information again, Dimitri spoke. "We need to do something different. We've been over all this info that was already investigated by others. It's not telling us anything. So the question is: how do we get new info on girls who don't want to be found? Let's hear some ideas!"

Silence. Dimitri closed his eyes and breathed in and out to calm himself. They were making it clear they didn't want to be a part of this. Maybe this is why they had made no headway in the case – because no one was actually doing any work. He wanted to fire them all. He would do it by himself if he had to. After a few more calming breaths he returned to reason. If Dimitri had been over the same information and he had found nothing, then it was possible that they had had the same issue.

"No one has any ideas?" Dimitri asked. He paused, hoping someone would speak up. "Need I remind you that Princess Vasilisa is the _last_ of her line? Every day she is out there she is in danger. We need to find them and bring them back."

"What if they've been turned?" a voice asked.

"Yeah – what if they're already dead?" another chimed in.

"Maybe that's why we can't find them!" A third added.

From there things quickly devolved into chaos. Everyone spoke all at once, each person speaking louder than the next, trying to have their opinion heard.

"Enough!" Dimitri shouted. The room fell into silence once more. "I know this isn't the ideal assignment for some of you, but all of you are Guardians. This may not be a personal protection assignment but if you can't see how this is just as important, then you should leave now."

No one moved and he guessed no one dared even to breathe. "Alright then, from this point forward all of us will eat, breathe, and sleep this investigation. I will hear no more talk of the girls being dead or turned. We must find them no matter what the outcome. If you have contacts in other cities, get in touch. Use every resource available. They have to be out there. Someone knows something."

Everyone returned to their stations and began working. Dimitri sighed and sat back in his chair. Stretching his arms above his head, he rolled his neck to release the tension in the bones. They cracked and popped, and Dimitri was able to relax a little. He clasped his hands behind his head and surveyed the room. His little speech seemed to have worked when he noticed a figure by the door. Alberta was just beyond the door frame. She made eye contact with Dimitri, a smile tugging at her lips. She nodded then disappeared.

Dimitri wondered how long she had been standing there. How much had she seen? Enough, apparently, because she approved. He felt a sense of pride within himself. Things might have gotten off to a rocky start, but he could sense they were turning a corner now. It might take some time, but he was confident they would find the girls.

Author's Note: My apologies for the slow update. My brother came home for the first time in two years so there many family meet ups. Add in a touch of writer's block and a few binge-watching marathons to catch up on Game of Thrones and suddenly it's been three weeks since you updated! Also I didn't proof read this as many times as I normally do since I wanted to get it up as soon as possible. Regardless, I hope you enjoy! Please review and thank you! ~LL


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